There is something truly wonderful about making a sauna your travel destination. The reason is simple: an incredibly blissful time awaits.
This day, too, welcomed me with the finest of pleasures. The day before, I had refreshed myself at Chomei-ji Onsen Tenba no Yu, then spent the night in Nagahama City, Shiga Prefecture. I savored an exquisite meal at Sennaritei Ohmi Niku Daidai on Kurokabe Street, then slipped into the hotel sauna afterward and slept like a log. On this day, I combined some sightseeing with my journey, making my way to Ogoto Onsen while stopping at spots I had researched in advance.
I arrived at Spa Resort Ogoto Agaryanse just before noon. I checked in with a vision of the perfect itinerary in mind: soak in the hot springs first, then maybe some yakiniku. Then it was off to the large bathhouse. There were all kinds of baths to choose from, with the sauna room and cold plunge bath right there in front of me. Even without stepping in, just watching the expressions on the other guests' faces made it clear this place was something special. I reined in my excitement and decided to get the full lay of the land first. My personal rule when visiting a facility for the first time is to survey every bath and the entire layout before doing anything else. You can't achieve true relaxation when you don't know where things are. By the time I finished my reconnaissance, I was already certain this visit would be a success. One of the reasons: an outdoor bath with a panoramic view of Lake Biwa. A space where anyone can strip down, soak, and gaze out over the lake. It was that kind of place.
First, I warmed up my body in the carbonated spring and natural source bath while gazing at Lake Biwa. Whether it was the quality of the Ogoto Onsen water or something else, I felt thoroughly warm from the inside out — warm enough that I could probably have jumped into the cold plunge without even entering the sauna. I took a light cold shower and headed in.
The sauna was spacious, filled with a pleasant aroma, and the temperature and humidity were absolutely perfect.
After the sauna, I made my way to the 14°C cold plunge bath. It was deep and wide — exactly what I needed to cool my heat-soaked body down to the core. Then came the outdoor bath for some fresh air. I lay back, gazed at Lake Biwa, closed my eyes... and apparently drifted off to sleep. The sheer bliss of it had me going through 6 full sets of totonou. Three sets before lunch, a nap, then another three in the evening. I wanted nothing more. My body felt incredible, the food tasted amazing, and I slept deeply. With this, I felt like I had everything I could ever need for a happy life.
